Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Condition Definitions?

Like New - items are lots that appear to be in a new and/or unused condition. For items that are marked “Like New” a bidder must review the photos and lot details prior to bidding. If the bidder feels that there is a major defect or significant discrepancy with the item, the bidder MUST report this to customer service prior to leaving the premises. Once the bidder has left the premises with the item, customer service cannot issue any refund for issues arising with the item. Additional information and requirements for receiving a refund can be found under refunds in our terms of service.

Open Box - items are lots that were sold by a retailer, and potentially used before being returned by a customer. These items are not tested for functionality or inspected for completeness. Open Box items may be damaged, not in their original packaging, and/or may be missing pieces. So unless the condition of a specific item is explicitly stated, the bidder should not make any assumptions about the condition of the item. All Open Box items are sold AS/IS. Please carefully inspect the lot photos and read the lot details prior to bidding.

Damaged - An auction lot may be marked as "Damaged" for a variety of reasons. Most “damaged” items have a major defect of some kind that was observed during the listing process. These are items that we believe still have value to our customers, though they might require some repair and/or could be use for parts. All Damaged items are sold AS-IS, Rio Grande Auctions cannot issue refunds on these items. Please carefully inspect the lot photos and read the lot details prior to bidding. Return Policy:

All items are being sold as-is, we do not accept returns in most cases. Exceptions to this policy will only be made when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  1. The lot was identified as “Like New” condition on the auction (Absolutely no refunds will be issued for items that are identified as “Open Box” or “Damaged”).

  2. The item was inspected and the return requested before the item left the premises. 

  3. The item is being returned in the same condition it was received by the bidder.

  4. The item must have a major defect and/or have a significant discrepancy that was not represented in the lot title, photo, notes, and/or condition on the auction (We do not accept returns for items that have minor defects, cosmetic damage/defects, and/or missing parts/accessories).  We do not issue returns for discrepancies in stock photos. Stock photos are for informational purposes only.

Ultimately, all returns are still subject to Rio Grande Auction’s discretion - We reserve the right to reject any return and/or change our policy at any time.

Is there a subscription/registration/membership fee?

No. Registering for an account at riograndeauctions.com is completely free. The only time you are ever charged is when you bid on and win an auction item (also known as a lot). We do charge several fees when you win an auction. Please see below for details on our fees.

I am having issues logging in, what should I do?

Once you have registered for a free account, you will need your username and password to login. Please note, your username is NOT your email address. You should have selected a username when you registered. If you don’t remember your username, you can send us a message for assistance or you can search your email for an email from @riograndetrade with the subject “Thanks for registering!”. Your username will be in that email. If you still can’t login, try resetting your password here. You can use either your username or your email address to reset your password. You will receive an email with the subject line “Rio Grande Trade - Forgot Your Password?”. Simply follow the prompts to reset your password.

Still having issues logging in? Please send us a message and our customer service team will help out.

How and when do I pay?

Payment is simple and automatic. In order to bid on an auction, you must have a valid payment method on file with our software. Your default payment method will automatically be charged for the total amount of the items you win on the first business day after the auction closes. Once your payment is successful, your item(s) are ready for pickup!

Are there any auction fees?

All winning items will be charged with a 13% buyer's premium fee, a lot handling fee of $1/lot you win, plus applicable sales tax on the invoice total.

What is the Buyer’s Premium and lot handling fee?

The buyer's premium is a percentage additional charge onto the final winning bid of the lot. Buyer’s premiums are standard with most auctions (live and online) in the US. It helps cover the administrative costs of running the auction and allows us to reinvest in continued improvements in the auction platform and processes.

The lot handling fee is $1/item for each item you win on the auction. It helps us cover the costs of managing and presenting these great deals to you

All winning items will be charged with a 13% buyer's premium fee, a lot handling fee of $1/lot you win, plus applicable sales tax on the invoice total. The buyer’s premium, lot handling fee, and sales tax are itemized on your invoice.

Where and when do I pick up my items?

Items may be picked up at our warehouse at 2111 Wyoming Ave, El Paso, TX 79903. Please use caution when entering the parking lot. The parking lot is one-way. Please enter the parking lot from Wyoming Ave. and exit onto Willow St. You may park in any available spot. Enter through the double glass doors in the front of the building. Please note: We do not allow partial pickups. All items must be picked up and removed from the building on the same business day.

We do not allow same-day pickup for auction items that end during the business day. Items won in an auction that end between noon-6pm can be picked up the following business day.

Winning bidders have 5 business days from the close of the auction to pick up winning items. If your pickup date falls on a holiday when our warehouses will be closed, you have until the following business day to pick up your items. Our warehouse currently observes the following holidays: New Years Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas day. As of 1/5/2024, our warehouse is open for pickup on the following days:

    Monday: 11am - 6pm
    Tuesday: 11am - 6pm
    Wednesday: 11am - 6pm
    Thursday: 11am - 6pm
    Friday: 11am - 6pm
    Saturday: 10am - 3pm

For your convenience, you can now save time when you pick up by scheduling a date and time for your auction pickup. Click here for details. 

What if an item doesn't fit into my vehicle or if I can't fit all my items in one trip?

You are responsible for ensuring that you have a vehicle or access to a vehicle large enough to pick up any item you win on the auction. If necessary, please reach out to our team prior to bidding on an item. Our team will do their best to provide the approximate size of an items so you can be sure it will fit in your vehicle.

If all of your auction items do not fit into your vehicle, you are required to return within the same business day to pickup the rest of your items. If you have a large order, please make sure you come early enough to allow time for a second pickup within the same business day. Items that aren't pickup within the same business day may be charged an additional fee or could lead to your bidding account to be restricted.

What if I can't pick up my items at the scheduled pick up time?

If you are not able to pick up your item(s) within the timeframe above, you must contact us to request an extension. We will do our best to accommodate special requests but cannot make guarantees. If we have not heard from you and your lots are not picked up within five business days (including Saturday), the lots are considered abandoned and will be resold in subsequent auctions with no refunds issued.

Can I schedule my pickup time?

Yes! We now offer scheduled pickups. Click here for more details.

Can I have a friend or family member pick up my item?

Sure! If you can’t make it, feel free to send a representative over the age of 18 to pick up your items. Please make sure they have a valid ID and a copy of your invoice (either printed or digital). If you’d like, you can also notify our team that someone will be picking up on your behalf by sending us a message.

Can I return my item?

Rio Grande Trade does NOT accept returns on auction. The only exception to this policy is if an item is significantly not as described (significant discrepancy) between the item received at pickup and the photo/title/description of the auction lot. “Significantly not as described” (Significant discrepancy) is defined at the sole discretion of the Rio Grande Trade staff and management and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. An example of a lot that is significantly not as described would be a lot that featured photos of a blender box with a title of “blender” but the buyer finds a pair of shoes inside the box at the time of pickup.

We do not consider model, size, brand, or color variations to be significant discrepancies.

Even in the case of an item that is significantly not as described, there will be absolutely no refunds for items that have been accepted by the bidder and left the Rio Grande Trade building. Please inspect/check your items at the time of pickup, before leaving the Rio Grande Trade warehouse. If and only if there is a significant discrepancy between the item received and the title/description/photos as determined by Rio Grande Trade, you will receive a full refund as long as the item has not left the building. See our complete Terms of Service for additional information.

What if I change my mind about an item I won?

Your bid is a binding agreement to purchase that item unless you are outbid by another user. We do not offer refunds in the event that you change your mind or find a better price on an item.

What do I do if I get home and one of my items is missing?

It is the user's responsibility to check your order before you leave the building to ensure you have received all of your items. Once you have left the building, Rio Grande Auctions is no longer liable for missing items. If you discover you are missing an item and/or received the wrong item, please contact us immediately. We will make every effort to locate the item, however we are not able to provide refunds in the case that an item is not found. Please make sure you or your authorized pickup person carefully checks your order before leaving the building.

Can a submitted bid be removed if I am no longer interested in the item?

Rio Grande Trade cannot edit or delete bids once they have been submitted by a user. Your bid is a binding agreement to purchase that item unless you are outbid by another user.  

Do I need to bring help to retrieve my items?

Yes, if you have purchased heavy and/or oversized items, please bring someone to help you load the items into your vehicle. A Rio Grande Trade employee will assist in retrieving your item and bringing it to your vehicle, but they are not required to help customers lift or load items into the vehicle.

How do items/auctions end?

Auction items will end at intervals of approximately every 30 seconds. For example, if an auction is scheduled to end at 7:00PM, item number one will end at 7:00:00, item number two will end at 7:00:30, item number three will end at 7:01:00, and item number four will end at 7:01:30. Auctions will close once all items have ended. If two or more bidders are bidding for the same item within the last minutes of an item's scheduled end time, the item's bidding will be extended for an additional 30 seconds. This feature gives an online auction a more authentic feel of a "live" auction. We reserve the right to adjust these settings at any time in order to provide the best online auction experience for our users.

Why do I need to provide a credit/debit card in order to bid?

This allows you to easily pay for items once an auction closes and helps to cut down on wait time during pickup to make picking up items easy. Once an auction has ended, your payment method will be charged automatically within 24 hours after the auction has ended. Also, this helps to keep our bidders honest and the system fair for everyone. Lots not picked up within 5 business days (including Saturday) are considered abandoned and will be resold in subsequent auctions with no refunds issued.

Does Rio Grande Auctions ship items?

No, we do not offer any shipping or delivery services at this time. All items must be picked up locally by the winning bidder or their representative. 

What should I bring with me to pick up my item?

Please make sure you bring your bidder number at the time of pickup. Your bidder number can be found at the top right of your invoice. All items must be paid in full through the online auction platform prior to pickup. Please bring a valid driver's license at time of pick up and either a printed or a digital copy of your invoice. You may log into your account on your smartphone to show us your invoice at the time of pickup.

For security purposes, on your first visit, we will ask you to present the credit card you used to make your purchase. 

Please be sure to review that you have received all items before leaving the warehouse, as any items reported missing are not eligible for refund after leaving the premises.

I did not win anything yet, so why was my payment method charged $1?

$1 is a pending pre-authorization charge that will not be posted to your account. The charge will disappear within a few days. 

I didn’t receive an invoice?

Winning bidders will receive an invoice listing the items won within 24 hours of the auction closing. If you do not receive an invoice via your email within 24 hours after the close of the auction, please contact us.

How do I enable text notifications?

Enabling text notifications is simple. Click here to watch a brief video or follow these instructions: Log into your auction account. Click here to be directed to your preferences page. Or click the account link at the top of the page and then click preferences. Under "Phone Settings" click the drop down and select your phone number. If your number isn't already verified, go through the process to verify your phone number. Then, adjust the check boxes to reflect your notification preference settings and click save.